Word: 不过 (bùguò)

一不过二，二不过三

yí búguò èr, èr búguò sān

one doesn't go past two, two doesn't go past three

不是强龙不过江

bú shì qiáng lóng búguò Jiāng

if not a strong dragon, you don't cross the river

不过我们会讲上海话。

Búguò wǒmen huì jiǎng Shànghǎi huà.

But, we can speak Shanghainese.

不过是一个文字游戏罢了。

Búguò shì yí gè wénzì yóuxì bàle.

It's just a play on words.

他不过是个孩子。

Tā búguò shì gè háizi.

He is but a child.

他口才好，我辩不过他。

Tā kǒucái hǎo, wǒ biàn búguò tā.

He is eloquent, so I can't win an argument with him.

你看到的不过是冰山一角。

Nǐ kàndào de búguò shì bīngshānyìjiǎo.

What you've seen is just the tip of the iceberg.

再糟糕不过了。

Zài zāogāo búguò le.

That couldn't have gone any worse.

大水漫不过桅杆

dàshuǐ màn búguò wéigān

floodwater cannot rise over the mast

小巷里扛竹竿，转不过弯儿来

xiǎoxiàng lǐ káng zhúgān, zhuǎn búguò wān ér lái

carrying a bamboo pole in a narrow lane: can't make the turn

山再高也高不过两只脚

shān zài gāo yě gāo búguò liǎng zhī jiǎo

however high the mountain, it is no higher than two feet

山高高不过太阳

shān gāo gāo búguò tàiyang

however high the mountain, it is not higher than the sun

当然会的，不过上海话不太会讲。

Dāngrán huì de, búguò Shànghǎi huà bú tài huì jiǎng.

Sure I can, although I can't really speak Shanghainese.

恩爱不过夫妻

ēn'ài búguò fūqī

no love goes beyond that of husband and wife

我不过生日。

Wǒ búguò shēngrì.

I don't celebrate my birthday.

我们很穷，不过我们过的很快乐。

Wǒmen hěn qióng, búguò wǒmen guò de hěn kuàilè.

We are poor, but we are happy.

我再同意你不过了。

Wǒ zài tóngyì nǐ búguò le.

I couldn't agree with you more.

是福不是祸，是祸躲不过

shì Fú bú shì huò, shì huò duǒ búguò

if it's fortune it isn't disaster; if it's disaster you can't dodge it

有是有的，不过远了一点。

Yǒu shì yǒu de, búguò yuǎnle yìdiǎn.

There is one, but it's a little far.

棉袄改被窝儿，两头儿苫不过

mián'ǎo gǎi bèiwōr, liǎngtóur shān búguò

making a padded jacket into a quilt: can't cover both ends

水大漫不过鸭子去

shuǐ dà màn búguò yāzi qù

however high the water, it won't rise over the duck

热不过火口，亲不过两口儿

rè búguò huǒ kǒu, qīn búguò liǎngkǒur

nothing is hotter than the stove opening, nothing closer than a married couple

爱不过是发明。

Ài búguò shì fāmíng.

Love is only an invention.

牙硬磨不过舌头

yá yìng mó búguò shétou

hard teeth can't outlast the tongue

狐狸再狡猾也斗不过好猎手

húli zài jiǎohuá yě dòu búguò hǎo lièshǒu

however cunning a fox is, it can't beat a good hunter

纵有大厦千间，不过身眠七尺

zòng yǒu dàshà qiān jiān, búguò shēn mián qīchǐ

even with a thousand rooms in a mansion, you sleep in only seven feet

胳膊扭不过大腿

gēbo niǔ búguò dàtuǐ

an arm can't win a twist against a thigh

躲过不是祸，是祸躲不过

duǒguò bú shì huò, shì huò duǒ búguò

if you can dodge it, it isn't a disaster; if it's a disaster, you can't dodge it

近不过夫妻，亲不过父母

jìn búguò fūqī, qīn búguò fùmǔ

none are closer than husband and wife, none dearer than parents

长不过五月，短不过十月

cháng búguò wǔyuè, duǎn búguò shíyuè

no longer than the fifth month, no shorter than the tenth month

门太窄了，这辆车通不过。

Mén tài zhǎile, zhè liàng chē tōng búguò.

The gate is so narrow that the car can't pass through it.

鸡蛋碰不过石头

jīdàn pèng búguò shítou

an egg can't beat a stone